About us
The UCL Cancer Institute is the hub for cancer research at University College London, one of the World's leading universities. The Institute draws together over 300 talented scientists who are working together to translate research discoveries into developing better, more effective treatments to improve outcomes for cancer patients. In particular, it fosters links between basic cancer researchers across Biomedicine, and with the clinical activities of our four partner Hospital trusts, known as UCL Partners: University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, and Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, as well as the London School of Pharmacy and Cancer Research UK.
About the role
We are seeking a collaborative and self-motivated bioinformatician post-doc to work on predicting immunotherapy response in cancer using clinically available NGS data. The project will be part of the Genomic Evaluation of a Novel Ensemble Signature for Immunotherapy Stratification (GENESIS) study and will focus on combining both clinical and NGS data to predict immunotherapy response (from checkpoint inhibitors) on cancer patients in an NHS setting.
The candidate will be expected to build upon existing bioinformatic techniques that measure tumour immune infiltration from next-generation sequencing (NGS) data and integrate these with other NGS-derived and clinical metrics using machine learning models to build predictors of response. The McGranahan Lab is a multi-disciplinary computational group of successful cancer researchers. The team is filled with passionate and determined individuals who will provide the successful candidate with a stimulating and conducive environment to participate and grow as a scientist.
The research in the lab is conducted in close collaboration with local and international scientists and clinicians and thus will also provide the successful candidate with opportunities to learn from a large network of talented professionals. The applicant will be supervised by Prof Nicholas McGranahan (Cancer Evolution Research Group).
The starting salary is contingent on the candidate's previous experience. This project will build on a strong track record of significant discoveries in the field of tumour immunology at UCL Cancer Institute, and the candidate will benefit from expert training in an exciting and dynamic environment.
The post is funded for 2 years in the first instance with a start date of as soon as possible.
Your application should include a CV and a Cover Letter: In the Cover Letter please evidence the essential and desirable criteria in the Person Specification part of the Job Description. (By including a Cover Letter, you can leave blank the 'Why you have applied for this role' field in the application form, which is limited in the number of characters it will allow.)
About you
The successful candidate must hold a PhD in bioinformatics and have a demonstrated track record in cancer biology. Previous knowledge and experience in cancer research and with developing analysis packages in R or python is also required.
A proven publication record, with several first author publications in high impact peer-reviewed international journals is also essential. Excellent organizational and record-keeping skills are also essential.
Applicants must have experience in presenting complex scientific concepts and content both in writing and verbally. They must have a strong commitment to improving outcomes for immunotherapy patients and demonstrate excellent collaborative interpersonal skills with proven experience in working closely with wet lab scientists in a multidisciplinary setting.
The post-holder will be expected to have the ability to assist other members of the team, supervise MSc and PhD students and collaborate with other research groups.
What we offer
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:
* 41 Days holiday (including 27 days annual leave, 8 bank holiday, and 6 closure days)
* Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
* Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
* On-Site nursery
* On-site gym
* Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
* Employee assistance programme
* Staff Support Service
* Discounted medical insurance
For rewards and benefits at UCL please visit:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.
You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/ #J-18808-Ljbffr